Rosie Makes Fig Newtons.

Would you believe that I'm making something with figs today?

Shocking, isn't it?

I'm attempting Fig Newtons today.

First, let me say, that dough's a bitch to work with.

The original Fig Newton recipe is credited to

Charles M. Roser, an Ohio cookie maker,

who sold the recipe to Kennedy Biscuit Works,

which later became Nabisco.

In 1891, James Henry Mitchell invented a machine

which made the mass production of Fig Newtons possible.

It was basically a funnel within a funnel,

with the inside funnel supplying the filling

and the outside funnel extruding the dough,

creating an endless length of cookie

that was later cut into smaller pieces.

I did not have a funnel within a funnel machine

so I had to go with plastic wrap.

No one has complained.

First I needed to dry my figs.

Lay out sliced figs on a wire rack for better circulation.

140° oven for about 20 hours.

Dough:

4 oz. flour

2 oz. unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 oz. sugar

1/2 oz. wildflower honey

scant 1/4 tsp baking soda

scant 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

1 tsp orange zest

2 egg yolks

1/2 oz. orange juice

With a hand beater on medium speed, 

cream butter with sugar, honey, baking soda, salt,

vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest.

Scrape down bowl with spatula as needed.

Add yolks, one at a time,

mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Sift flour and add to mixture on low.

Add orange juice and mix.

The dough will be very sticky.

Transfer dough to plastic wrap,

flatten into a disk, 

and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

For the filling:

6 oz. dried figs

1 oz. applesauce (homemade of course)

3/4 oz. wildflower honey

dash cinnamon

2 tsp water

Pour boiling water over top of dried figs

and let sit for 10 minutes.

Drain figs.

Combine figs, applesauce, honey,

cinnamon, and water in a food processor.

Process until smooth and not chunky,

scraping down sides with spatula.

Roll out lightly floured dough 

into strips about 3 inches wide.

Pipe filling down center of each strip.

And I had to laugh while I was "doing" this.

Yes.  I'm 12.

Pull the top part of the dough over the filling,

then the bottom part of the dough up, sealing.

It helps to have the dough on plastic wrap

when you're doing this.

Also, I worked with one piece of dough at a time,

leaving the rest refrigerated.

After working with the dough, keep it chilled.

Place chilled logs seam-side down

on parchment paper.

These were chilled when they went into a 325° oven.

Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes,

turning halfway through.

OK.

 So they don't look perfect.

I didn't have a funnel inside a funnel.

Let cool a bit, then slice.

Ta-daaaaa!!!!!!

Mr. H. liked these better than the real deal.

Youngest Hawthorne loved these.

Both the filling and the cake.

YAY!!!!